Before the Bite
by harry-ron-hermione-fan-101
Summary: A series of one-shots about the Cullens-minus Bella and Renesmee-before they become vampires.  A VERY late Christmas fic for TwentyFourGirl!   Sorry Ma'am; but it's finally here!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is for TwentyFourGirl. Sorry it took me so long, ma'am! Or, miss. Or whatever you want to be called! **

**Anyway, this story is about the Cullens. The Cullens, NOT including Bella and Renesme. I dunno, I just don't count 'em as Cullens. So, I'm doing this story to depict what might have been going on in the character's lives "Before the Bite." See how I incorporated the title in there? Clever, huh? =3**

_**Mary Alice Brandon**_

Dark walls. Dark floor. Dark. Absence of light. Cold. So cold. Alone. A freak. Who else would be able to see things before they happen, but a freak? Devil's spawn. She didn't deserve to live.

She lay on the bed, staring blankly at the wall. She had had enough electro-shock therapy sessions. Enough of the ice water sessions. No more. The "treatments" they did… they couldn't actually be helping her. Enough being locked in a dark room for hours on end. Enough of this so-called "life".

The door to the dark, damp, cold cell- there really was no other name for the room- creaked open and Adam, a handsome young man stood in the doorway. He had started working here "some time back" was always his vague answer to anyone who asked. The 20 year old had taken a liking to Mary, coming to check on her after a particularly bad session, sneaking her extra food and blankets. At this particular moment though, he was empty handed. Adam looked utterly frantic. "Mary, I need to get you out of here," he said, and Mary didn't reply. "Mary?" he tried again.

A beat of silence, and Adam stepped into the room, his frantic-ness level rising. He knew she wasn't dead, do to his… gifts, but that didn't confirm or deny the possibility that she could be brain dead.

Another moment of stillness. Then Mary turned her empty eyes towards Adam. "Not Mary," she whispered. "Alice. I'll be Alice. Something from my old life, but something to show I'm leaving it behind, as well."

Adam took a step towards Alice and raised his cold, pale hand to place on her shoulder, but Mary-correction, Alice, flinched. Adam's face hardened. For a moment, he looked truly terrifying, then his face eased out of the feral expression when Alice turned away.

"Did they hit you again?"

Silence.

"Did they shock you? Almost drown you? How did they hurt you?"

"I want to die, Adam," Alice whispered, then stared straight ahead again, rolling onto her back.

Adam cursed under his breath. Ever since Alice had come to the institute, every time she had a "vision" in one of her "treatment sessions" the doctors saw fit to torture her in one form or another, then to lock her in small dark room for hours, sometimes days, on end.

But, he was on a mission. He had no time to feel sorry for her. He had to save her. The Hunter was coming, and he didn't have another second to waste.

"I'm sorry Alice, but we have to go," he murmured, leaning over her and sliding one strong arm under her neck and another one under her knees. Alice stirred at his cold skin, but otherwise had no protest.

Without hesitating, and in one swift, fluid movement, he lifted her up, using only his arms to support her weight, which isn't saying much. The poor, unfortunate soul wasn't anything more than skin and bones. He pulled her close to his chest, and breathed out, "Alice, I need you to trust me. Do not be scared."

"What are you-?" Alice questioned weakly, then decided that she didn't care. She nodded and closed her eyes. With how still and pale she was, she looked like a fresh corpse, like she had just died.

Adam sighed. Then, faster than anyone should be able to, Adam ran. He was out of the institute, speeding out of the room, down several flights of stairs, down a hallway, and into the night. He half heartedly wished that Alice would open her eyes and enjoy the starlight. She hadn't seen anything of the outside for almost two years now.

The inhuman man ran for almost an hour, covering more ground than even a car could in a day of travel. When he finally slowed to a stop, Alice was asleep. All the better. She wouldn't need to be awake to see the inhuman deed he must do to protect her from the Hunter.

Gently, he lay sleeping Alice on the ground. She looked peacefull, for once. No pain, no sadness, no expression on her face.

Adam sighed. "Forgive me," he whispered, then he bowed his head and bit into the soft flesh of her wrist.

**A/N: It's short, I know. Blame my writers block. And discouragement. I've written this… I have no idea how many times. Sometimes it would be perfect, and then I'd look it over and go, "Crud, it doesn't match the books!" So I tried to fix my errors, and it totally screwed everything up. But, now that I've got chapter one cranked out, I can probably work on my other stories, and this one, better and faster. That is, if I didn't just jinx it. **

**MESSAGE TO TWENTYFOURGIRL:**

**Merry Christmas! Sorry it's a few months late. Heh heh. Whoops. So, I was wondering, who's your fav Cullen? I'm writing this story for you, you know. Have fun at school!**

**EDIT NOVEMBER 24, 2011:**

**I'm sorry. I did jinx it. BUT I have redone parts of this chapter to make it better, and chapter two isn't far behind. I'll give you a hint as to what it will be: "Momma, I want ta play the piano."**


	2. Chapter 2

Edward sat motionless on the sofa, staring at the piano with longing. So many keys, so many sounds… he wished he could sit down, place his fingers on the ivory and ebony keys, and create music. The little child swayed slightly as the tune from the piano concert he had attended played through his head. He hummed the tune, smiling.

A little hesitantly, Edward walked towards the grand instrument, and stood in front of it, green eyes peeping just over the edge. A small, child's hand reached up and pressed a white key- a low tone rang out, and kept going, as Edward kept his finger down on the key.

Edward let out a child like giggle, and reached his other hand up, pressing a key farther along. A high, sweet note trilled through the air. It wasn't long before his fingers were racing up and down the piano, creating a cacophony of notes, alerting everyone in the house to his activities.

Mrs. Masen tilted her ear and smiled when she heard her son's laughter along with the piano. Smiling to herself, she walked over to the other side of the house to see Edward having the time of his life, still plunking out a tune that only a mother could listen to without cringing.

"Edward love, you're becoming quite the pianist, aren't you?" she commented, and Edward spun around, a wide smile stretched across his face. He raced to his mother and buried his face in her skirts as he hugged her around the knees. Mrs. Masen knelt to embrace her son back.

He looked up at her, a begging expression on his face. "Momma, I want to play the piano," he stated, looking ready to burst into tears if he was denied.

Mrs. Masen just smiled back and tweaked his nose. "Then we better see about some lessons, hmm?"

**A/N: I really have no excuse for taking so long, other than pure and utter laziness. I'm sowwy ^^**

**ANYHOOT, I'm actually bursting with ideas for this thing, so I'm really looking forwards to doing the rest of the chaps; but please, keep in mind, I'll update when I update.**

**This thing is STILL dedicated to TwentyFourGirl. And, in reply to a message that has been passed through my sister to me, as soon as I have enough time, I plan to start watching 24 just for fiction purposes ;)**

**BY to the freaking THE to the freaking WAY- I have updated the previous chap. Please, take a look! **


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